One function of a vehicle's suspension system is to provide good handling in response to the driver's steering input. In many vehicles, especially high performance or racing vehicles, the vehicle's suspension system enhances handling by cambering of the vehicle wheels. In cambering, the top of a wheel and tire are tilted toward the center of the radius of the turn for maximum cornering force. For example, in Formula I racing cars, the top of each tire/wheel combination is tilted slightly toward the vehicle centerline to enable maximum cornering capability of the dominant side tires in both left and right hand turns. The cambering of the tire/wheel combination places a higher unit tread pressure on the portion of each tire tread nearest the tire's inboard shoulder, or that part of the tire tread nearest the centerline of the vehicle.
Some vehicles are designed with suspensions which do not accommodate cambering. Many popular vehicles, including some intended for high performance or racing purposes, feature suspension systems which have little or no camber. Also, in some racing applications, the sanctioning bodies forbid or limit cambering. In such situations, when a tire undergoes significant lateral forces, such as when being cornered hard under high speed, the tire sidewall may not be strong enough or stiff enough to withstand the lateral forces generated by the cornering vehicle. In such cases, the tire's sidewall "rolls" in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle's line of travel and certain portions of the tire's tread are distorted. In such case, the cornering performance of the tire can be reduced.
The present invention improves the cornering and handling performance of tires designed to be mounted on vehicles where cambering is limited or unattainable.